How to connect 1-HDMI and 1-DVI display to a mini?

doc.doughdoc.dough
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I am contemplating a move off of my ancient mirror door G4 to a new Mac mini but part of the motivation for a mini vs an iMac is that I already have a 20" Apple Cinema Display plus a 22" Samsung. The 20" Cinema display has an Apple Display Connector input and the Samsung has a DVI input. Does anybody know of a good way to connect them to a new mini so that I can use them as an extended desktop?



Doc

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Get this.



    And you're all set.
  • Reply 2 of 8
    doc.doughdoc.dough Posts: 5member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Get this.

    And you're all set.



    That adapter comes with the mini and handles one display. How do I get the other one up simultaneously?
  • Reply 3 of 8
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Doc.Dough View Post


    That adapter comes with the mini and handles one display. How do I get the other one up simultaneously?



    By plugging it in...



  • Reply 4 of 8
    doc.doughdoc.dough Posts: 5member
    Sorry for not using the right words. I am informed that the connector on the Apple cinema display is called an Apple Display Connector and as such will not plug into the HDMI connector on the mini. Perhaps there is a third party adapter that does that conversion?
  • Reply 5 of 8
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Doc.Dough View Post


    Sorry for not using the right words. I am informed that the connector on the Apple cinema display is called an Apple Display Connector



    Ooooh...



    Crap.

    Quote:

    and as such will not plug into the HDMI connector on the mini.



    Well, no... I wasn't expecting you to do that. I'd figure you'd, you know, plug the HDMI monitor into the HDMI connector...



    Yeah, about the ADC monitor. It's a proprietary connector that was absolutely great. It carried DVI video, USB, and FireWire. Only problem was everyone else refused to use it. Idiots.



    Anyway, you'll need two adapters, and I don't know how well this will work (though there's nothing that says it shouldn't). You'd need that one adapter I linked before, plus this one.



    You'll lose the ability to use any USB or FireWire ports built into the monitor, obviously, as this connector only moves the DVI video signal.



    But the more expensive ones that do everything are over $100. For an ADAPTER. So that's that.
  • Reply 6 of 8
    doc.doughdoc.dough Posts: 5member
    If I use the mini-DisplayPort to DVI adapter and hook it into the DVI to ADC adapter I should be able to get my 20" Apple cinema display to work with the mini. And I see a number of HDMI to DVI adapters that are candidates to connect the Samsung to the mini HDMI port. Is there anything I need to be aware of other than that male/female matching should be appropriate?
  • Reply 7 of 8
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Doc.Dough View Post


    If I use the mini-DisplayPort to DVI adapter and hook it into the DVI to ADC adapter I should be able to get my 20" Apple cinema display to work with the mini.



    Yep.



    Quote:

    And I see a number of HDMI to DVI adapters that are candidates to connect the Samsung to the mini HDMI port.



    Oh, the monitor has a mini HDMI port? Weird.



    I don't think you need to watch for anything in particular. You'll just need a mini HDMI to HDMI cable.



    Both ends male, obviously.



    Like this one, I should think.



    Don't be fooled by the price. This website is absolutely 100% legitimate. And you'll never buy any cables for anything anywhere else again.



    SHIPPING is more than these cables cost! And these guys still make a profit! Monoprice is great.
  • Reply 8 of 8
    doc.doughdoc.dough Posts: 5member
    The Mac mini has an HDMI (female) output and the Samsung monitor has a DVI (male) input. My proposal is to get a short port saver HDMI cable (male/female) to avoid having a big massive adapter hanging off the HDMI connector on the back of the mini, and an HDMI (male) to DVI (female) adapter, then plug the port save into the HDMI port on the mini and plug the monitor into the DVI side of the adapter.



    That way I have the Apple cinema display on the mini displayport via two adapters (one of which comes with the mini, the other of which comes from Amazon), and the Samsung is on the HDMI port as described above.
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